Clinton Campaign Boasts About Media: ‘Every Single Interviewer Was for Her’

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Elizabeth Harrington
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October 11, 2016 @ 4:44 pm
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Politics |
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The Hillary Clinton campaign bragged "every single interviewer was for her" during a visit to Michigan during the Democratic primary season, according to recently released hacked emails.

Notes from campaign events sent by Nick Merrill, Clinton’s traveling press secretary, revealed a cozy relationship with the media, a recurring theme in the document dump of campaign chairman John Podesta’s emails.

Emails have shown CNBC anchor John Harwood offering advice to the Clinton campaign and bragging about how he questioned Donald Trump as a debate moderator. The New York Times also gave veto power to the campaign over what Hillary Clinton quotes could be used in a profile.

Merrill’s notes from a series of Hillary Clinton’s events at "very hip coffee shops" in Michigan on March 8 reveal similar dealings with members of the local press.

"[Six] radio interviews and [two] coffee shops this morning," Merrill wrote. "Interviews were all live or taped Detroit stations with the exception of one we did into Flint. Quick hits, mostly centered around getting out to vote."

"Flint came up in every one, and then education, and [Affordable Care Act] ACA," he said. "No flags. Every single interviewer was for her."

Merrill said the "highlight of the morning" was an awkward joke made by Clinton.

"One of the hosts, whose stage name is ‘Foolish’ asked a question, to which HRC replied ‘Well, Foolish, that is far from a foolish question,’" Merrill said. "Awkward chuckles all around."

The email exchange was among the third batch of Podesta’s emails posted by Wikileaks. The director of national intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security have accused "Russia’s senior-most officials" of hacking and leaking emails posted to Wikileaks and other sites in order to influence the 2016 election.

The email thread also revealed a friendly relationship between CNN Politics Producer Dan Merica and Clinton. Merrill described the two as "basically courting each other at this point."

Merrill recounted an event held on Feb. 26: "Dan Merica asked her if she was jealous that she didn't get Christie's endorsement, to which she responded with a prolonged smile (you could see the gears turning), and then said ‘Dan, I really like you. I really really like you.’ They are basically courting each other at this point."